Chrono Trigger

Voices of: N/A
Developer: Square
Publisher: Square
Rating: E
Genre: Role-playing
System: SNES
1995

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: A young man, Crono, begins a time-traveling quest to save the world.

Review:
Tim: It feels impossible to say anything about Chrono Trigger that hasn't been said numerous times before. When you think about RPGs, this one is routinely touted as perhaps the greatest of all time. It's importance and influence are undeniable. I played this in my late 20s or early 30s, so I was already well-versed in the RPG standards, many of which were cemented by this game's success. This is an outstanding game, undoubtedly one of the greatest ever crafted. Now, as I say that, I'm not quite sure I would place this atop my favorite RPGs. Sure, I loved playing the game- but perhaps I first played it too late, where many of its innovations felt more commonplace to me. It's a weird feeling, to love a game and yet recognize my enthusiasm and appreciation doesn't quite rival many others. Still, I want there to be no doubt- I'm a huge fan of this game.

The game runs fairly straightforward from a typical RPG perspective- our silent protagonist starts an epic quest, populated with different party members. They travel to various places in time, and also to The End of Time. There are oddities along the way- one of the best characters is an anthropomorphic frog. This party must stop a powerful wizard, Magus. Of course, there are more powerful beings behind him, namely Lavos. I don't remember a ton from my playthrough of this game, but I do remember defeating Lavos to finish the game. As I recall, it wasn't easy.

The game features an Active-Time Battle system. I was familiar with this general approach, based on similar RPGs I've played, like Secret of Mana and some of the Final Fantasy games. I got Crono to Level 60 and had 999 HP and 99 MP. Marle got to Level 61, 999 HP and 99 MP. Frog was Level 60, 999 HP and 98 MP. That was my main party when I took down Lavos. I ended with 91,493G. It took me just over 31:50 to beat the game.

As you might expect from games like this, the graphics are superb for the SNES. The music is really a standout- I vividly recall how much the music amplified the playing experience. This is an epic journey that Crono and his team undertake, and the swelling music hits all the right notes. It's undoubtedly one of the greatest video game soundtracks ever created. The music is simply stunning. One of the mistakes I made while playing is that I didn't do any of the 12 multiple endings. That was one of the more revolutionary aspects of the game. When I played, I just finished it- I didn't replay to explore the different ways the story could have ended. To be honest, I'm not totally sure what ending I got. I do remember beating Lavos, but otherwise I'm not sure. At the time, I was much less experienced as a video gamer and the idea of so many endings quite frankly overwhelmed me.

While I do love most kinds of video games, I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for RPGs. There's something so incredible about stepping into a character's shoes and experiencing a life-altering journey with them. The conventions of the game genre are comforting to me. To see a game like Chrono Trigger- one that feels like it's the pinnacle of RPGs up to the point of 1995- is a remarkable experience. I honestly believe when this game was released, it was as close to perfect as an RPG could get. The genre has expanded and advanced since then, but this game did everything right. This is a landmark video game and one I'm proud to have played. This is one of those games that feels absolutely essential.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior, Live A Live